Saxon Steed

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Bronze statue of Saxon Steed in front of Leibniz University Hannover main building Niedersachsenross 2005-03-10 00.jpeg
Bronze statue of Saxon Steed in front of Leibniz University Hannover main building

The Saxon Steed (German : Sachsenross, Niedersachsenross, Welfenross, Westfalenpferd; Dutch : Twentse Ros, Saksische ros, Saksische paard; Low German : Witte Peerd) is a heraldic motif associated with the German provinces of Lower Saxony and Westphalia, and the Dutch region of Twente.

Contents

Origin and past uses

The horse as a heraldic charge associated with Saxony first appears in the late 14th century, at which time it was described as an "old Saxon" motif. For this reason, there has been a long history of antiquarian speculation identifying the motif as a tribal symbol of the ancient Saxons. [1] [2] [3]

A tradition first recorded in 1492 reports that the 8th-century Saxon ruler Widukind displayed a black horse as his field sign. [4]

Historian James Lloyd suggests that "the Saxon Steed motif was invented in the 14 century …. as a faux ancient symbol for the Saxons", being derived from an account by Gobelinus of the myth of Hengist and Horsa in Britain. [5]

The horse motif was adopted by the House of Welf, whose original symbol was a golden lion on red ground. It has also been used in several provinces in Westphalia (therefore, it is also called Westfalenross meaning 'Westphalian steed', and Welfenross meaning 'Welf steed'). After this, it became the heraldic animal of the Kingdom of Hanover (since 1866 the Prussian Province of Hanover), of the Prussian Province of Westphalia, and of the Free State of Brunswick from 1922 until 1935, when state flags were prohibited by the Nazis and only the flag of Nazi Germany was to be used. This tradition continues in two of the modern federal States of Germany of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Modern uses

Coat of arms of Lower Saxony

Coat of arms of Lower Saxony Coat of arms of Lower Saxony.svg
Coat of arms of Lower Saxony

After World War II, on 23 August 1946, the Province of Hanover became an independent state and again used the steed as its coat of arms. Brunswick, which was also an independent state, had made the same decision some weeks before, on 8 July 1946. When these two states, along with Oldenburg and Schaumburg-Lippe, were merged into the new state of Lower Saxony, the Saxon Steed became the coat of arms of the new state, at first unofficial and then official.

Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia

Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia. Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westfalia.svg
Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Saxon Steed is also shown in one of the three sections of the coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly associated with the area of Westphalia.

British royal arms

Royal banner of arms (Hanoverian) Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg
Royal banner of arms (Hanoverian)

In 1714 the House of Hanover became united in personal union with the United Kingdom. As a result, the Saxon Steed is found in the British royal arms during the Hanoverian period.

Official sign of Dutch Twente region

Flag of Twente Flag of Twente.svg
Flag of Twente
Football club FC Twente's banner and logo FC Twente Assemblage.jpg
Football club FC Twente's banner and logo

To express the Saxon heritage of the Twente region, local language and culture enthusiast J.J. van Deinse designed a common flag in the 1920s. The region borders on both the German states of Lower Saxony and North-Rhine-Westphalia. The local language, Tweants, is commonly classified as an extension of the Westphalian branch of the Low Saxon language. Within the Netherlands, it is known to be one of the more traditional (or conservative) varieties of the language.

Due to growing interests and pride in local culture, the Saxon Steed has become a popular image. It can be found in varying formats and appearances, as well as to various degrees of stylisation in the likes of local football club FC Twente's logo, the local branch (Twents) of a Dutch public transport provider, and a growing range of other instances.

United States

The King George County, Virginia adopted the shield of 1714 British royal arms, [6] [ full citation needed ] thus the Saxon Steed is found in the seal of King George County.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Saxony</span> State in Germany

Lower Saxony is a German state in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with 47,614 km2 (18,384 sq mi), and fourth-largest in population among the 16 Länder federated as the Federal Republic of Germany. In rural areas, Northern Low Saxon and Saterland Frisian are still spoken, albeit in declining numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westphalia</span> State part and historic region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Westphalia is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of 20,210 square kilometres (7,800 sq mi) and 7.9 million inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Rhine-Westphalia</span> State in Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a state (Land) in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states, it is also the most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of 34,084 km2 (13,160 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest German state by size.

Schaumburg is a district (Landkreis) of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Nienburg, Hanover and Hameln-Pyrmont, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Westphalian or Westfalish is one of the major dialect groups of Low German. Its most salient feature is its diphthongization. For example, speakers say iäten instead of etten or äten for "to eat".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchy of Saxony</span> Medieval German state

The Duchy of Saxony was originally the area settled by the Saxons in the late Early Middle Ages, when they were subdued by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 772 AD and incorporated into the Carolingian Empire (Francia) by 804. Upon the 843 Treaty of Verdun, Saxony was one of the five German stem duchies of East Francia; Duke Henry the Fowler was elected German king in 919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Hanover</span> 19th-century state of the German Confederation

The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Hanover, and joined 38 other sovereign states in the German Confederation in June 1815. The kingdom was ruled by the House of Hanover, a cadet branch of the House of Welf, in personal union with Great Britain between 1714 and 1837. Since its monarch resided in London, a viceroy, usually a younger member of the British royal family, handled the administration of the Kingdom of Hanover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchy of Brunswick</span> German duchy (1815–1918)

The Duchy of Brunswick was a historical German state that ceased to exist in 1918. Its capital was the city of Brunswick. It was established as the successor state of the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. In the course of the 19th-century history of Germany, the duchy was part of the German Confederation, the North German Confederation and from 1871 the German Empire. It was disestablished after the end of World War I, its territory incorporated into the Weimar Republic as the Free State of Brunswick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electorate of Hanover</span> State of the Holy Roman Empire (1692–1814)

The Electorate of Hanover was an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire located in northwestern Germany that arose from the Principality of Calenberg. Although formally known as the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, it made Hanover its capital city. For most of its existence, the electorate was ruled in personal union with Great Britain and Ireland following the Hanoverian Succession.

The history of Saxony began with a small tribe living on the North Sea between the Elbe and Eider River in what is now Holstein. The name of this tribe, the Saxons, was first mentioned by the Greek author Ptolemy. The name Saxons is derived from the Seax, a knife used by the tribe as a weapon.

This is a list of coats of arms of Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Lower Saxony</span>

The coat of arms of Lower Saxony shows a white Saxon Steed on a red background. It appears on the flag of Lower Saxony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia</span> Coat of arms of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia

The coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia is the official coat of arms of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Saxony</span> Coat of arms of the German state of Saxony

The coat of arms of the present-day German free state of Saxony shows a tenfold horizontally-partitioned field of black (sable) and gold/yellow (or) stripes, charged with a green (vert) crancelin running from the viewer's top-left to bottom-right. Although the crancelin is sometimes shown bent (embowed) like a crown, this is due to artistic license. The coat of arms is also displayed on the state flag of Saxony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County of Blankenburg</span> State of the Holy Roman Empire (1123–1815)

The County of Blankenburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Blankenburg, it was located in and near the Harz mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Horse of Kent</span> Symbol of Kent, England

The white horse of Kent, known colloquially as the white horse rampant, is a symbol of the county of Kent, in south-east England. The heraldic image is correctly blazoned as Gules, a stallion forcené argent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Panzergrenadier Brigade (Germany)</span> Military unit

The 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Hildesheim was a formation in the Bundeswehr, which was subordinated to the 1st Armoured Division in Hanover. The Brigade was disbanded on 31 December 2007. During its lifetime the Brigade was stationed between the Lüneburg Heath, Harz Mountains, the Solling hills and the River Weser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Asseburg</span>

The House of Asseburg, original German name von der Asseburg, is an old Lower Saxon aristocratic family which had its origin in Wolfenbüttel and Asseburg. During the 12th and 13th centuries the lords of Wolfenbüttel were able to establish their own small county, but were soon forced to give way to the Brunswick dukes of the House of Welf. Later their title was taken over by other families in the female line, and the counts of Asseburg continue to be landowners to this day.

The German Emperors after 1873 had a variety of titles and coats of arms, which in various compositions became the officially used titles and coats of arms. The title and coat of arms were last fixed in 1873, but the titles did not necessarily mean that the area was really dominated, and sometimes even several princes bore the same title.

References

  1. James Lloyd (2017). The Saxon Steed and the White Horse of Kent. Archaeologia Cantiana. 138:1.
  2. Erker, Paul; Fehlhaber, Nils (6 October 2021). 150 Years Continental: The Skill of Transformation. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 272. ISBN   978-3-11-073237-5.
  3. Palgrave, Sir Francis (1837). History of the Anglo-Saxons. Ward, Lock and Company. p. 30.
  4. Cronecken der Sassen (in Middle Low German). Mainz: Peter Schöffer. 1492. OCLC   230161637. Wikidata   Q1140907.
  5. The Saxon Steed and the White Horse of Kent James Lloyd 2017, Archeologia Cantiana 138.1; retrieved 7 May 2021
  6. Public Board Meetings

See also